What does 2 Chronicles 2:10 reveal about Solomon's priorities in building the temple? Text “Now I will give to your servants, the woodsmen who cut the timber, twenty thousand cors of ground wheat, twenty thousand cors of barley, twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of olive oil.” (2 Chronicles 2:10) Immediate Literary Setting The verse appears in Solomon’s diplomatic letter to Hiram of Tyre (2 Chronicles 2:3-16). Solomon requests cedar, cypress, and algum logs and asks that Hiram send skilled artisans. Verse 10 states the compensation Solomon is willing to supply for the labor force that will fell and float the timber to Joppa. Historical Framework • Date: c. 967-960 BC, early in Solomon’s reign (cf. 1 Kings 6:1). • Political climate: Israel is at its territorial height, in covenant security (1 Kings 4:20-25). Tyre is a dominant Phoenician port with advanced woodworking and seafaring expertise. • Economic scale: A cor ≈ 220 liters; 20,000 cors ≈ 4.4 million liters of grain. A bath ≈ 22 liters; 20,000 baths ≈ 440,000 liters each of wine and oil—roughly enough annual rations for 150,000 laborers (cf. 2 Chronicles 2:17-18). Solomon’s Priorities Revealed 1. Lavish Provision for God’s House The sheer volume of food and oil shows Solomon’s determination that no expense be spared in temple construction. Because the temple is “for the Name of the LORD my God” (2 Chronicles 2:5), Solomon treats the project as worthy of the kingdom’s best resources. 2. Honor for Skilled Labor By remunerating foreign craftsmen generously, Solomon affirms that excellence offered to God requires first-class workmanship (cf. Exodus 31:1-6; 1 Kings 7:13-14). Workmen are not exploited; they are honored participants in sacred service. 3. Commitment to International Cooperation under Yahweh’s Sovereignty Solomon’s alliance with Hiram demonstrates that the kingdom, though distinct, can enlist Gentile skill for the glory of the one true God—anticipating the nations streaming to Zion (Isaiah 2:2-3). 4. Economic Wisdom and Administrative Foresight The ration formula parallels ancient Near-Eastern royal treaties (Alalakh tablets; Ugaritic trade records). Solomon employs recognizable commercial standards, showing prudence alongside piety. 5. Covenantal Faithfulness Expressed in Generosity Deuteronomy commands fair wages (Deuteronomy 24:14-15). Solomon applies covenant ethics externally, reflecting God’s generosity (Psalm 145:16). The temple thus becomes a witness of God’s character even to the pagan workforce. 6. Provision Foreshadowing Christ’s Abundant Grace Solomon’s extravagant gifts prefigure the greater Son of David who supplies “grace upon grace” (John 1:16). Physical rations point forward to the spiritual bounty secured by the Risen Christ. Corroborative Data • Archaeology: Phoenician log-rafts are depicted on Bronze Age reliefs found at Byblos; timber route via Joppa confirmed by ship-timber inscriptions at Tell Qasile. • Bullae with “Belonging to Hiram” (10th cent. BC) unearthed at Tel Dor support Tyre’s commercial ties to Israel. • Grain-storage silos at Megiddo VI measure capacity consistent with multi-million-liter reserves, matching the logistical claims of 2 Chronicles 2:10. Intertextual Consistency • 1 Kings 5:11 parallels 2 Chronicles 2:10, underscoring textual reliability across sources. • Principle of generosity in temple building echoes Moses’ tabernacle freewill offerings (Exodus 36:3-7) and David’s personal treasury for the temple (1 Chronicles 29:2-5). Practical Implications for Believers • Worship merits our best resources—time, talent, treasure. • Fair compensation of workers is a theological duty, not merely economic policy. • Collaboration with unbelievers for godly ends is permissible when God’s supremacy is clear. • Extravagant giving for God’s purposes testifies to confidence in His provision (2 Corinthians 9:6-11). Conclusion 2 Chronicles 2:10 shows that Solomon’s paramount concern in building the temple is to glorify God through excellence, generosity, and integrity. His meticulous provision underscores a theology of worship that values God above national wealth, esteems human labor, and anticipates the ultimate, abundant provision accomplished in the resurrected Christ. |
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